Adam Tomkins

It's great. It's never morally comfortable to sympathise with a psychopath yet Vilanelle compels one to do so, on pain of death! The love me or die trying parasite-demon who shall not be named has captured my imagination and heart (Jodie Comer shines and steals every scene she's in). I loved watching this series even more than the first, especially because it supports such fine talent and seamlessly combines showcasing with cinematic ingenuity. Sandra Oh is so beautiful in every moment too. Such romantic and dangerous chemistry. And Fiona Shaw is utterly mesmerising as usual.

It is a very rare thing for me to award 5 precious and shiny whole stars to a film. Rare too are films whose emotional breadth and attention to detail far exceed my expectations. Sexy Beast is everything a film should be and a whole lot more: classy, clever, exciting, intelligent, hilarious, unusual and mesmerising. It has all of the above in spades. The script and its realisation represent a true benchmark in our understanding of the art of film.